Six months after Apple announced the new iPad (or more commonly referred to as the iPad 3), they now announce its successor — the iPad 4. Six months is really too close to introduce a new model so we wonder why.
We looked at possible reasons why Apple would anger owners of the iPad 3 and found very few compelling reasons.
A new processor. Apple introduced the dual-core A6X chip with the iPad 4. This offered much better graphics performance to the tablet although we believe the quad-core graphics on the iPad 3 was enough to run hi-def games on its Retina Display.
A new connector. Just like the iPhone 5 and the new 5th-gen iPod Touch, the iPad 4 now uses a Lightning connector. It makes all three product lines more uniform. However, we don’t really see the point in rushing a new iPad just to adhere to the new connector port.
New LTE bands? The iPad 3 came out with LTE but a lot of global networks did not have support for it (we reckon the iPad 3 LTE may not be compatible with local networks). However, when we checked the LTE bands supported by the iPad 4, it still indicates Band 4 and Band 17. That’s 700MHz and 2100MHz which is still the same as the old one. That rules out LTE band support as the reason.
We’re really stumped and don’t know why Apple would release a new iPad six months after announcing one. If this is a trend, are we expecting the iPad 6 sometime in March or April of 2013? That’s too close right?
One other thing, Microsoft is set to announce Windows 8 and along with it, the Surface tablet. Is this Apple’s way of somehow stealing a little thunder from Microsoft’s biggest push in the tablet market? If so, then the iPad 4 makes sense.
What do you guys think?
The reason why Apple released iPad 4 this early is for them to justify the pricing and placing of iPad mini. Well, they released iPad mini to get a slice of the 7-inch tablet market, which is big this holiday season.
Because they are threatened by the soon-to-be-released Microsoft Surface and Samsung’s Nexus 10.
Kasi kung hindi pa nila irerelease ngayon, maaapektuhan yung sales nila kung sa March-April pa, like the other iPads before.
Badtrip naman talaga kung kabibili mo lang ng iPad 3, then walang kaabog-abog, luma na kaagad yung “new” iPad mo. UGH.
And besides, the 7″ tablet category is already dominated by Kindle Fire, Nexus 7, and what have you.
Wrong decisions, indeed.
Apple is playing catch-up. Remember when steve jobs said that 3.5 inches is the sweet spot for a smartphone? Apple released iphone 5 with a 4″ display because bigger screen is the way to go. And now apple sees the 7″ category a threat that is why they released their own 7″ category tablet. I wouldn’t be surprised if they release their own phablet with stylus.
For me, it’s simple. Your product line up should have the iPad with the best processor, and with the release of the iPhone 5 with A6 CPU, the new iPad aka 3rd Gen iPad’s A5X CPU sits below the A6 CPU of the iPhone 5, plus it would be weird that the lower model iPad Mini uses the latest Lightning connector while the 3rd gen iPad uses the old connector.
On the marketing side, the release of the iPad Mini and the 4th gen iPad would generate enough assurance that Apple’s tablets’ new specifications and price would be hard to beat, whatever the real life performances of the Microsoft Surface and the upcoming Nexus update and the high resolution Samsung tablet announcement would be next week.
Whether we like it or not, Apple has one of the best marketing teams not just among tech companies but among all Top 500 companies in the world.
Even if you work for free, I would not hire you for a marketing person, you obviously think using your ass.
There’s no more innovation in Apple, period!
Even if you work for free, I would not hire you for a marketing person, you obviously think using your ass.
There’s no more innovation from Apple, period!
won’t that throw people off and lessen the value of their products? I mean, one of the reasons why Apple devices are so expensive is their exclusivity. You don’t see them releasing different phones for different markets. There’s just one phone, the iPhone. Then they improve that and release a new model with newer features. But now they have the iPad mini, which I think is just another huge mistake. THEN they plan on releasing this? It’s not even that far off from the previous iPad.
Holiday season in US.
They just felt threatened. Just bought new ipad for the upgrade and then this! Bummer!
Perhaps it’s to counter the impact which Ipad Mini would have on its own Ipad sales. It is to signal to consumers that the Ipad Mini is not the next Ipad, but an entirely different line.
Had they not released the 4th Ipad, their latest offering will be the Ipad Mini, which has downgraded specs. Not a good contender vis-a-vis the ms surface and other high end tablets which could be introduced.
So, yes, product differentiation may be the reason.
Agree! This seems to be the most logical reason
Not really.
they just move the date of releasing a new ipad.
parang ginaawa nila sa ip4 na tumagal naman imbis bumilis.
so
iphone = september
ipad = october
I don’t think it’s an iPad 4, I think it’s still a new iPad; because an iPad 3 hasn’t been released, yet! Haha!
I don’t think it’s an iPad 4, I think it’s still a new iPad; because even iPad 3 hasn’t been released, yet! Haha!
Nakaramdam sila ng takot. Wala nang confidence ang Apple para antayin ang normal cycle nila. LOL.
Agree! They said 7″inch tablet has no use. But after seeing the sales of Nexus 7 and Kindle, they release their own 7″version.
And that 3.5″ screen is the perfect size for smartphone and anything bigger than that is just a waste. But after seeing how the market adopt t bigger display, they followed.
maganda din ang dulot ng bagong ipad dahil, mag dodrop ang price ng luma
Correct!
Sorry, they’ve just phase-out the New ipad and retain ipad2 so no movement in price to be expected. Except sa black market.
Exactly not the case. Apple has stopped the production of iPad 3 to give way to iPad 4. So what’s available in Apple Store now are iPad Mini, iPad 2, and this new iPad (iPad 3 eliminated in the picture). So it’s alright for iPad 3 users to feel cheated.
Apple is the master at phasing out old and phasing in new products. A month before the announcement, my supplier has informed me they are already out of stock of some iPad variants. Lo, and behold, 1 month later, Apple announces iPad 4. Other manufacturers have to struggle with excess stocks of previous models, but not Apple.
My officemate bought his iPad 3 two weeks ago, imagine the disappoint, LOL. He’s trying all the tricks in book bluffing the store (seller), as if the store is at fault.
On a another note, if Steve was still alive, this would not have happened. Definitely, a strategic blunder of stupendous proportions. Now, if he can only comeback from the dead.
As usual, take this with a grain of salt. It’s a marketing ploy. Next thing we know, iPad 5 will be out this December. LOL
I agree! It’s a way to boost Apple income and hit their financial targets for this quarter. I feel sorry for the Apple fanatics since they need to spend more than usual.
Apple’s magic is gone when Steve Jobs dies. They just want to make more money before Apple start crumbling again…
Not worth buying, just another trick to divert attention from MS’s Win 8…
just noticed lately that apple’s products have’nt got new innovation or breakthroughs.. ^_^
maybe dahil medyo marami nang labanan sa patent wars, unahan lang sa pagpublic nang gadgets nila.
then again, I think wala na din silang maisip or mailagay sa kanilang gadgets, so it’s just speed na lang ang labanan.
Gawin na lang kaya nila ang ipad upgradable ang mga internal components…hehehe
just an idea… :)
Looks like the apple folks to be left behind in “releasing” this month.
Looks like the apple folks didnt want to be left behind in “releasing” this month.
Bottom line = MONEY.
Because they’re Apple.